William Bowers Bourn II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Bowers Bourn II
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Bourn II (1917) during construction of Filoli
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| Born | May 31, 1857 San Francisco, California, US
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| Died | July 5, 1936 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Energy utilities entrepreneur |
| Known for | Socialite, Entrepreneur |
| Spouse(s) | Agnes Moody (1881–1936, death) |
| Children | 2 |
William Bowers Bourn II (born May 31, 1857 – died July 5, 1936) was an important American businessman and a well-known person in society. He managed the famous Empire Mine and the San Francisco Gas Company. He also invested in the Spring Valley Water Company and helped create the company that is now known as Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Bourn II built many large homes and estates in California, including the beautiful Filoli estate in San Mateo County, California.
A Young Businessman
William Bowers Bourn II was born in San Francisco, California, on May 31, 1857. He was the second child of William Bowers Bourn I, who was also a mining businessman, and Sarah Esther Chase.
He went to several schools, including Union College and the University School in San Francisco. When he was 17, he lived with his father and learned a lot about business and mining. His father passed away in July 1874. A few months later, in 1875, William went to England to study at Sidney Sussex College at Cambridge University.
Building Businesses
William returned to California in 1878 to help his mother manage the family businesses. He worked hard to improve the Empire Mine, making it much more successful. He also opened a bank in Grass Valley and became a director of the San Francisco Gas Company.
By 1887, he had sold his mining interests for a while. In 1888, he teamed up with other investors to build the huge Greystone Cellars in Napa Valley. This was a large wine-making building. He later sold his share of Greystone in 1894.
William bought back control of the Empire Mine in 1896. He also played a big part in joining electricity and gas companies in San Francisco. This merger later created the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which is a very large energy company today.
In 1890, he started investing a lot in the Spring Valley Water Company. This company supplied water to San Francisco. People sometimes complained about the water prices, but Bourn explained that the company needed money to grow and provide water for more people in the future. The city of San Francisco eventually bought this water company in 1929.
Family Life
In 1881, William Bourn married Agnes Moody. They had two children. Their first child, a son named William Bowers Bourn III, was born in 1882 but sadly passed away one day later. Their daughter, Maud, was born in 1883.
William and Agnes built their beautiful country home, Filoli, in Woodside, California, in 1915. In 1922, William had a stroke, which meant he needed to use a wheelchair.
In 1929, his daughter Maud died in New York. Around the same time, he sold the Empire Mine to another company called Newmont Mining Corporation. William Bowers Bourn II passed away at his home, Filoli, on July 5, 1936. He was buried with his wife and daughter in the Bourn Family Cemetery on the property.
Amazing Estates and Properties
William Bowers Bourn II was known for building and owning many impressive properties. Here are some of them:
- Asilo: This home in Pebble Beach, California, was built in 1924. It was designed in a Spanish Revival style for his daughter, Maud.
- Filoli: Located in Woodside, California, this was his main "country house" built in 1915. It is now open to the public for tours and is a famous example of a grand American estate.
- Muckross House: This historic house in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, was built in 1843. Bourn bought it in 1911 as a gift for his daughter and her husband. In 1932, he gave Muckross House to the government of Ireland in memory of his daughter, Maud. It became part of Killarney National Park, Ireland's largest national park.
- Empire "Cottage": This building, located at the Empire Mine State Historic Park in Grass Valley, California, was designed in 1897.
- Bourn Mansion: This large home in Pacific Heights, San Francisco, was built in 1896 using special clinker brick.
- Greystone Cellars: Located in St Helena, California, this impressive building was constructed in 1888.
